Humane society looks forward to additional funding

BARSTOW — It needs a new roof, more kennels and as of Monday, some hay.

There are many things the Barstow Humane Society needs, said spokesman Bill Cook, and an additional $5,000 a month for the city will help.

The Barstow City Council was scheduled to vote on a measure to increase funding from the shelter by an additional $5,000 a month and allot up to $30,000 for new construction during Monday's meeting. The deal arose out of a series of talks between Interim City Manager Richard Rowe and the shelter that included a visit by Rowe to the ailing shelter, said society spokesman Bill Cook.

"We've been spending all our money on surviving and not doing maintenance," Cook said. "We're torn between a rock and hard place. No, we don't want to shut down to the city."

In March, Cook went before the City Council and asked the city to double it's monthly $10,000 contract with the shelter. At the time, the shelter was losing several thousand dollars each month, and Cook warned that the shelter might have to stop serving the city.

The deal will keep the shelter running, Cook said, and includes a provision to begin planning a new or completely renovated shelter. Cook said that if the city does not redo the shelter by the end of the year, it will be forced to discontinue services to the city.

Council members still had a few questions regarding the deal before the meeting on Monday, but felt confident something would be approved to help the shelter. Both Mayor Lawrence Dale and Council member Tim Silva said they were pleased to see that Rowe worked quickly to bring the proposal to the council.

Mayor Pro Tem Steve Curran said he wants to make sure the city is getting an increase in service with the increase in funding but acknowledged that the shelter was in need of financial help.

"It's something we have to do," he said.

According to city documents, the county, which also contracts with the shelter, recently spent $90,000 to build new kennels at the shelter with heated floors for the animals. The immediate $30,000 will be used to build a pre-adoption holding area to further the shelter's successful adoption program. Other projects planned during the next years, according to a budget prepared by the city, include new flooring, a new roof, updated kennels and the resurfacing of the parking lot.

Cook said the additional funding will not solve all the shelter's problems, but such is the business of dealing with animals every day.

On Monday morning, a few horses came into the shelter from Apple Valley as part of the contract with the county. Cook said the shelter could use an extra $5,000 just to enclose and feed their unexpected guests.